Exploring Software Asset Management

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated March 12, 2026
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Exploring Software Asset Management

    The Software Asset Management (SAM) application in ServiceNow provides enhanced capabilities for managing software installations, licenses, and compliance. Starting with the Australia release, the new Software Asset Workspace offers a more user-friendly interface replacing the classic UI, which is still available with limited support. SAM helps organizations discover, normalize, and reconcile software assets, optimize license usage, and maintain compliance across hybrid environments.

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    Using Software Asset Management Interfaces

    • Software Asset Workspace: Activated via the Software Asset Management Professional plugins, this workspace provides an intuitive UI for managing software assets. Once activated, the classic UI menus for moved features are hidden, and reversion is not possible.
    • Classic Software Asset Management: Remains available with activation of the Professional plugin but is being phased out in favor of the workspace experience.
    • Menus Remaining in Classic UI: Certain administrative and advanced features like Demand Management, Custom Licensing Metrics, SAP Compliance, and Integration Profiles continue to reside in the classic interface.

    Key Features and Capabilities

    • Software Discovery and Normalization: Identify installed software with detailed attributes and standardize data for accuracy.
    • Software Models and Entitlements: Manage software profiles and link them to purchased license rights for effective reconciliation and compliance.
    • License Metrics and Reconciliation: Automate license reconciliation to maintain accurate license positions globally, supporting weekly or on-demand runs.
    • Software Reclamation and Optimization: Define reclamation rules to identify unused software for removal or reallocation, optimizing license usage.
    • Integration with Discovery and Inventory Tools: Supports file signature normalization, Microsoft SCCM integration, and third-party discovery sources for comprehensive asset data.
    • Support for Complex Licensing Scenarios: Includes downgrade rights, allocation management to user groups, and optimized licensing for Microsoft SQL Server and Windows Server clusters.
    • Cloud and Hybrid Environment Management: Features bring your own license (BYOL) and bring your own subscription (BYOS) support for Microsoft, Oracle, and Red Hat software across hybrid infrastructures.
    • Reporting and Insights: Offers executive dashboards for KPIs, license usage analysis, and cloud cost simulation to inform strategic decisions.
    • Guided Experiences and Automation: Provides step-by-step help for lifecycle reporting, audit readiness, and contract management integration with Contract Management Pro.
    • Mobile and Virtual Agent Support: Enables asset visibility via the Now Mobile app and automates software requests through AI-powered Virtual Agent conversations.

    Additional Functionalities

    • Health Check Service: Validates SAM configurations and suggests corrections for optimal performance.
    • Employee Off-boarding Workflow: Streamlines asset reclamation during user off-boarding.
    • Integration with Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC): Allows holistic management of compliance and risk related to software assets.
    • Collaboration with Application Portfolio Management: Facilitates technology onboarding using ServiceNow’s Technology Reference Model.

    Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    By leveraging the Software Asset Management application and its workspace, customers gain streamlined and accurate control over software licenses and installations. The automated reconciliation and reclamation processes reduce manual effort and improve compliance. Integration options and guided experiences simplify management across complex IT environments, including hybrid and cloud infrastructures. Enhanced reporting and dashboards support informed decision-making and cost optimization. The phased transition from classic UI to the modern workspace ensures continuity while encouraging adoption of improved interfaces.

    The Software Asset Management application's user interface is enhanced to make it more user friendly and intuitive, allowing you to better manage your software installations.

    Beginning with the ServiceNow AI Platform Australia release, we will provide limited support for the Software Asset Management classic user interface. While it will remain active in your instance, including when you upgrade to a new ServiceNow AI Platform release, we encourage you to move to the new workspace experience.

    The Software Asset Management application's core functionality remains the same in both the user interfaces.

    Using the Software Asset Workspace

    The Software Asset Management application is available with activation of the new Activate all Software Asset Management Professional plugins including Software Asset Workspace (com.sn_samp_master_ws). Activating this plugin automatically activates the Activate all Software Asset Management Professional plugin (com.sn_samp_master) and the Software Asset Workspace (sn_sam_workspace) store application . After the new plugin is activated, you can't access the classic user interface.

    For releases prior to Australia, if you activated the older Software Asset Management Professional plugin (com.sn_samp_master), the Software Asset Workspace is available with activation of the Software Asset Workspace plugin (com.sn_sam_workspace). After the Software Asset Workspace Workspace plugin is activated, you can't revert to the classic Software Asset Management application.
    Note:
    After the Software Asset Workspace is activated, the menus in the classic Software Asset Management application are hidden for the features that have been moved to the Software Asset Workspace.

    For detailed information on configuring and using the Software Asset workspace, refer to Configuring Software Asset Management and Software Asset Workspace.

    Using the classic Software Asset Management application

    To continue using the classic Software Asset Management application, you need to activate the Software Asset Management Professional (com.sn_samp_master) plugin.

    If you later decide to use the Software Asset Workspace, you need to activate theSoftware Asset Workspace (sn_sam_workspace) store application.

    For detailed information on configuring and using the classic Software Asset Management application, refer to Configuring Software Asset Management and Using Software Asset Management classic.

    Menus that continue to reside in Software Asset Management classic

    Even after you activate the Software Asset Workspace (sn_sam_workspace) store application, the following menus continue to remain in the classic framework:

    Software asset
    Software Asset Demand
    • Create New
    • Demands
    • Demand Requirement
    Administration
    • Custom Products
    • Custom part Numbers
    • Custom License Metrics
    • Software Asset Demand Actions
    • Pattern Normalization Rules
    • Reclamation Rules
    • Job Results
    • Content Service Setup
    • Refresh Processor Definitions
    • Migrate Software Results
    • Properties
    • Revert Customizations
    • Software Model with De-activated Discovery Maps
    SaaS License
    • Unrecognized Subscription Identifier
    • SSO Integration Profiles
    • Direct Integration Profiles
    SAP Compliance and Optimization
    • SAP Connections
    • Connection Setup
    • Scheduled Import
    • Transform History